Yogyakarta 2015 - Summary

I've always wanted to visit Yogyakarta for the main attractions Borobudur and Prambanan temples. I'm often told that once you've seen them and Angkor Wat, you're spoiled for life. It was the Kinabalu earthquake that urged me to go to Yogyakarta >.<

 The stats

  • Yogyakarta is not just a tourism hotbed; there are many universities in Yogyakarta and this contributes to the relatively lower cost of living compared to other parts of Indonesia.
  • Travel period: late Aug - this is considered end of summer, and the rainy season commences in mid-Sept. It is still off-peak and the clear blue skies create perfect photography opportunities.
  • I went with my university mate, so it was easy traveling around.
  • Hotel of choice: Jambuluwuk Malioboro Boutique Hotel; recommended by another friend and located in the heart of the city.
  • Tour guide: Mr Yoga Pratana; recommended by several colleagues. 


Itinerary
4D3N is sufficient to cover the main attractions. However our itinerary was modified to suit our tempo; eg we canceled the tour to Mt Merapi and opted to rest after a tiring day tour of Borobudur + Dieng Plateau. 

 PS Dieng Plateau was not in the original itinerary. 

 Day 1 - arrive in the afternoon > free & easy > Ramayana ballet
Day 2 - Borobudur > Dieng Plateau
Day 3 - Mt Merapi "Lava Tour" > Prambanan > Candi Sewu > sunset at Candi Ijo
Day 4 - shopping at Malioboro > Kraton & Taman Sari > batik & wayang kulit factories

 Legend:
Canceled
Not in original plan

This was one of the best trips; the temple complexes were not too crowded, food was great and we had enough rest. I returned to Malaysia feeling rested mentally and physically. Get started on the full write-up with my 1st day :)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

When is the Right Age to Marry?

Image
I went out with Grandma today & she made a light threat that I marry before her time is up. *knocks wood* *true story* That made me think: assuming she's still around for the next 10 yrs, I've less than that to find someone to spend the rest of my life with. In Malaysia, the minimum age of marriage is 18 with parental consent, 21 without parental consent. Having been in 2 serious relationships & both lasting for 4 months, I'd say I've little to no experience in having a deep relationship with another person. I'm 23 now, I remember being 18 & bragging that I'll have at least 10 boyfriends before I wed at 30.  Pfft. How reality has changed that estimation for me; at best, I can hope to meet Mr. Right within the next 5 yrs & start preparing for life as Mrs. Right. It won't be easy finding Mr. Right especially when Mom has a list of requirements for me to follow; I swear my ears ring everytime she tells me that "your husband
Read more

Fancy a Massage in Bangsar?

Image
I'm a fan of massages, I like people rubbing the aches away. Good thing massage centres are common in Malaysia and I've surveyed a few places in Bangsar so here's the rundown: 1) Chow Yang Reflexology This is probably the most popular massage centre in Bangsar. Their staff are local or from either Myanmar or Thailand. You need a high pain threshold to enjoy their foot massage; you might find it enjoyable if you prefer the strong kind of massage. I only tried their food and shoulder; unfortunately my neck ached more the next day and I never tried it again.  2) Everhealth This is a popular massage chain and the staff are China nationals, so communication is difficult. However the staff are polite, plus they have a variety of rooms (private and sharing). I got a young female masseuse during my 1st experience; she wasn't very strong and didn't get all the aches out. The 2nd time I tried the traditional body massage and the masseuse was STRONG! Check out their
Read more

Here We Go Again...

Image
Frankly I can't be the only one annoyed with all this talk about using English vs mother tongue for Science & Maths, right? I did an article about that previously.  All this talk is starting to piss me off. Why? Apparently many Malaysians are freaking ignorant & plain DUMB. I sent a letter to the Star explaining my stand on this issue, so I'll put it here (I don't know if it'll be published but frankly, enough is enough): "Hi I'm writing in response to the letter by CONCERNED CITIZEN on 18 June in the Star "What about English in Accountancy". My sister studied in form 6 arts stream, now she's studying accounting at a private university; although her major subjects were taught in Malay at form 6, she had no problem switching to English at the university level. This brings me to my point that the root of the problem is many young Malaysians these days aren't speaking enough English, hence the worry that they can't cope with the chan
Read more